LEDlab

The Local Economic Development Lab, initiated and closely supported by Ecotrust Canada and RADIUS SFU, partnered with community organizations to explore innovative ways to build a more vibrant and inclusive local economy in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

LEDlab was a 3.5-year, place-based and action-focused initiative. Through it, we built, tested and scaled solutions that put money in the pockets of DTES residents; enhanced the capacity of individuals, organizations and networks; and shifted traditional patterns of power and resource use in the community. LEDlab closed in June 2018 with a planned sunset event and celebration.

We hope that our policy, practice and enterprise solutions have application beyond the specific geography of Vancouver’s inner city, and might inform work being done on similar challenges in other jurisdictions.